Roland Rancourt Jr.’s letter (Oct. 6) regarding Question 3 sounds like it was written by the gun lobby. He rails against outsiders being involved, but ignores the enormous amount of money flowing into every state from the gun lobby, threatening legislators against voting for any measure of gun safety.

Rancourt doesn’t want to change “something that has worked for well over a century.” What about the hundreds of Mainers who have died from gun violence during that time? Or the thousands of people who have been killed in other states by criminals using guns they too-easily bought?

Question 3 requires background checks, not just for guns bought at L.L. Bean, but for those bought in parking lots — no questions asked. It is intended to deny guns to dangerous people. Do we really want those people to be armed and even more dangerous?

Question 3 does not require a background check when hunters loan each other guns out in the woods. It does not require a background check when a father passes his gun down to his child. It does make it harder for dangerous people to buy guns in Maine.

Something has to be done about the terrible and escalating gun violence raging across this country. Doing nothing is not the answer. Easy guns for felons is not the answer.

Voting “yes” on Question 3 is an important step to a safer Maine.

I hope others will join me and the large majority of Mainers who support background checks in supporting Question 3.

Steve Mortimer, Poland

Copy the Story Link